


Backroom Deals

by eternalparadox (paradoxicallysimplistic)



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Gun Violence, Guns, M/M, Mafia Katsuki Yuuri, Mafia Victor Nikiforov, Minor Character Death, Rated For Violence, Rivals/Enemies to Lovers, Russian Mafia, Secret Identity, Soulmates, Yakuza
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-31
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-09-20 06:55:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17017887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paradoxicallysimplistic/pseuds/eternalparadox
Summary: As head of the Russian mafia, Victor is used to seeing blood, death, and darkness. The only light in his day is when Yuuri drops by the antique shop he runs. Adorable, innocent Yuuri who warms his heart.But are things ever that simple?When a new power encroaches, Victor discovers things are not always what they seem. After all, the stronger the light, the darker the shadow.





	Backroom Deals

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PKSamurai](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PKSamurai/gifts).



> To our (maybe) esteemed leader:  
> As requested, I'm "[hitting] you up with [a] good ol yakuza/mafia story" while trying to avoid those pet peeves and tropes you mentioned. Enjoy.

“Nyet! I don’t care if you have to! Nyet – no! Didn’t you hear what I said? I –” Before he could finish the steady beeps of an empty line sounded. Taunting him.

“Blyad! Motherfucking – blyad!” Grating his teeth in frustration, Victor threw the phone on the ground. Watching the burner phone break into pieces apart from the impact was cathartic.

The last couple of weeks had been frustrating watching a new power slowly encroach on their territory. They had already shaved a tiny sum off his businesses, and now it seemed one or two of his dealers had betrayed them. Earlier in the week, a cargo shipment was seized by the police. There was a chance it was mere coincidence, but he had been in the game long enough to smell a rat. It was a route they had used for over two years and known only by a select few. There had never been a whiff of the cops sniffing around and his inside sources had reported nothing out of the ordinary. All this added up to someone on the inside ratting on them. Thankfully, they had enough stocked up for the buyer, but they needed to find the rat before any other operations were disrupted.

This was the first time someone had turned on him in the last three years since he consolidated his power. The Bratva took loyalty seriously. They weren’t just a gang. They were a brotherhood who shared in one another’s triumphs and failures. And now, one of them had turned on his brethren for profit.

Kicking the metal door open, Victor glanced at the low-level thug. One of his men had caught wind of the guy getting a little cozy with an outsider. They brought him in immediately after he met up with a foreign dealer trying to sell insider information and making deals with another group. There was no telling how much was revealed, but betrayal would not be tolerated. “Has he said anything yet?”

 “Yeah, he caved pretty soon after.” The man’s face was beaten until bloody, his eyes black and swollen, and his mouth was missing a few teeth. Anyone who would sell his own kin for a few coins was generally spineless and weak. Those that kept up their self-righteousness were the ones to be worried about. “Gave up the name of his supplier.”

“Who is it?”

“Not sure. Some guy called Kenta.” That person was either over-confident or had no knowledge of the reigning powers in the area. Only an idiot would blindly do business on another group’s territory.

“He can’t be the only one.” Victor murmured under his breath. “Get him to setup a meeting and find out who this Kenta is. And clean this up. No wait, I want him to be an example of all those sitting on the sidelines with itchy hands. Traitors will not be tolerated.” There were always a few with traitorous hearts who wanted to climb the ranks. Humans were weak and easily blinded by greed. He thought his previous examples were enough, but apparently the message had been forgotten over time. Refreshing people’s memories was long overdue.

Lacking the desire to dally longer, Victor pushed the door open and headed out to meet his ride.

 

Hidden between large buildings sat a small antique store. The original store had been built decades ago, the outside décor clearly from the 1800’s. No one would have suspected the head of the Russian mafia to be perched on a stool behind the counter polishing a few crystal figurines.

The antique store was just one of several businesses under his belt. One might have expected that with his brains, looks, and connections, he would have been in a classy bar or business instead. Victor had done that for a couple of years, but after consolidating his power, he preferred remaining lowkey and letting his subordinates take care of daily matters. He occasionally stepped into his side businesses, such as the bar down the street, but they were run like clockwork by people he trusted. The antique store had been something he invested in four years ago, thinking it was a good way to smuggle things across the border. It hadn’t disappointed.

Humming, he admired the figurine in his hand. Light shone through the crystal, refracting and creating tiny rainbows glimmering with color. One could easily imagine it coming to life under the spotlight as it danced on the ice. It was something he bought on a whim in Russia and brought it over thinking it looked nice. Even though the shop’s profit margin was close to nothing, the holidays were approaching which meant increased demand for small trinkets and more shoppers. It didn’t matter to Victor, but it was nice seeing these items find new homes.

Lightly spinning it over in his palm, Victor’s eyes immediately hardened when the screen of his phone lit up to a familiar number.

“Da?” Putting down the small figure skating figurine, Victor picked up the familiar number.

“Hey boss, we tracked him down.”

“Who?” He couldn’t be bothered remembering every single detail about what was going on. That’s what the people under him were for. There were too many operations running at any given point, and he only involved himself when it was of a larger scale.

“Kenta.” Victor hummed, dimly recalling his orders to capture the dealer. “We didn’t find him, but some other guy was waiting and left a message for us from some Japanese mafia bigshot whose new to the area. Apparently, they want to meet.”

“The Japanese? What are they doing here?” Victor frowned. Disrupting his business already had them starting on the wrong foot, and now they wanted to meet? He hated being threatened by some yakuza thugs trying to dig their claws into a pie that was much too large for them. “Did he say anything else?”

“No. Just that they want to meet and discuss business. They called you out.”

“Me?” Victor sneered. “Fine. Arrange it. We’ll show them not to mess around on our turf.” Not bothering to give more details, he hung the phone up.

He was the head of the Russian mafia in New York for a reason. In the last eight years, he had eliminated the other gangs and expanded their territory threefold. Opposition existed, naturally, but they were all dealt with and made into examples. There were always idiots who thought they could topple his reign, but none of them had lasted long.

The chime of the door opening disrupted his musings, and he raised his head to see his favorite person enter. “Yuuri, welcome!”

“Hi Victor.” It was a simple greeting accompanied with a slight smile, but it lifted his mood more than anything else could have. Yuuri’s cheeks were flushed from the chilly December weather, his hair mussed from the strong windows outside, and his ears were graced with fluffy black ear muffs making him look like some lost little animal which needed protecting.

“Do you need any help?”

“No, I’m just looking.”

A small smile graced Victor’s lips as he watched Yuuri browse the store. The young man had come in unexpected one rainy October afternoon, and had kept dropping by ever since. Although there wasn’t anything noteworthy about Yuuri – he had average looks and wouldn’t stand out in a crowd – his polite and well-mannered behavior soothed Victor’s heart.

He enjoyed teasing Yuuri, watching the rosy blush and embarrassed glances. His Makkachin was adorable, but Yuuri was even more adorable. Yuuri was like a baby kitten when embarrassed, pawing at him and leaving an itchy warmth in Victor’s heart. But when he smiled, he resembled a kitten who had just found something exciting, brightening Victor’s day in the process.

They had never touched – Victor wore gloves wherever he went as a precaution to avoid fingerprints – but he suspected Yuuri was his soulmate. According to what he had heard and read, the draw he had towards Yuuri was same instinctive draw that led fated pairs to one another. The realization had hit him during a random walk along the water; the weather hadn’t been that great, but the gentle push urging him had suddenly faded when he bumped into Yuuri.

Yuuri might very well suspect something, but the thought of tainting the pure, adorable kitten made Victor hesitate. Victor could never wash his soul free of blood. And only by being at the top could he control what went on behind the scenes. Yuuri would never be able to accept him if he knew all the crimes he had committed to stand where he stood now. Victor was thankful to the Family for raising him, but sometimes he wondered whether it would be better if he could leave all that behind and start afresh with Yuuri. How nice it would be to live an ordinary live with his other half.

Unless his other half was from the same world, soulmates were a luxury the mafia couldn’t afford. Especially if one was a normal human. They were the greatest possible weakness. While Victor had confidence he could protect both Yuuri and himself, it might not be a life Yuuri was willing to have. Nor was that the life he wanted Yuuri to have. Of course, there were always a few lucky ones who juggled the mafia with their soulmates. But Victor had only met one couple who was like that: his former instructor, Yakov, and his wife, Lilla. Because of their strong personalities, they had married, divorced, and remarried at least twice. But in the end, they were one of the few examples of soulmates who had weathered through thick and thin together.

All Victor could do was watch his kitten from the sides and dream.

Victor quietly observed as Yuuri examined the trinkets around the shop, before settling upon a music box. The tinkle of music notes gently danced through the air before dissolving into nothingness. He recognized the piece as a simplified tune from Prokiev’s _Romeo and Juliet_. It was a sad tale, but nonetheless famous in Russia.

Absentmindedly working on the ornament, Victor was struck with the fanciful idea to bring Yuuri to see the Nutcracker. It was having its annual New York debut in two weeks. While the performance was nowhere close to the performance in St Petersburg – Yuuri would definitely refuse an offer to fly back to Russia with him just to see a ballet – and the audience was frustratingly disruptive, it was somewhat decent. A small smile graced Victor’s lips at the thought.

“Do you like the ballet?” Not hesitating to put thought into action, Victor asked the moment Yuuri brought the music box to counter.

“I’ve never gone, but I’ve heard it’s pretty popular.” The wrinkle between Yuuri’s brows looked particularly adorable. “Why?”

“The piece the music box played is from one.”

“Ah, I didn’t know that. Maybe I should go see one...” The mumble made Victor’s smile widen.

“Why don’t we go together sometime?”

“Umm... maybe...”

“Think about it.” He smiled, turning his attention to the music box. Victor didn’t want to push too hard. He had made the first step, now it was on Yuuri to see whether they would take the second.

Neatly wrapping up the music box, he was about to hand the purchase to Yuuri when he noticed Yuuri staring at the ornament he was polishing. Bright brown eyes turned to face him as Yuuri accepted the music box. “Do you like it?” He pointed at the ornament.

“It’s pretty. How much is it?”

“Free.” Seeing how it had caught Yuuri’s attention, Victor picked it up, wrapped it in tissue paper, and handed it to Yuuri.

“But...”

“Just think of it as a Christmas present.” It was the closest thing he could do. Victor wanted to invite Yuuri over and they hide away from the cold winter, and cuddle on the sofa with hot chocolate. Everyone around him was talking about the holidays and how they were going to spend it, but acting on his wishes would only endanger Yuuri.

“Okay, thank you, Victor.” The adorable dimples gracing Yuuri’s smile warmed Victor’s heart as he put it in his bag. Staring down at his gloved hands, Victor released a small sigh as he pulled them off. Their fingers had touched earlier, but that thin layer of leather prevented anything more from happening.

 

* * *

 

Dressed entirely in black, the only hint of color was the icy blue in Victor’s eyes, flashing like chips of ice as he tapped his gloved fingers against the table. Anyone who knew him would know that he wasn’t in a pleasant mood with the air of solemnity around him. The meeting had been arranged with little back and forth. Surprisingly, the other side had easily conceded and agreed to their arrangements.

A cold smile graced his lips as the staccato clicks of footsteps neared. Victor had long wanted to meet the motherfucker who had interfered with his business. The moment the door opened, he pulled his revolver out and pointed it at the Japanese crew. The atmosphere in the room immediately rose as both sides followed suite, pulling out their weapons and pointing it at one another.

“Is this how you greet someone, Victor?”

“Yuuri?” What was his angel doing here? Hardening his heart, he crushed the bubbling warmth in his chest. “What are you doing here?”

Had it not been for the same voice and build, Victor would never have recognized Yuuri with his slicked back hair and in fitted suit. He radiated an air of confidence with his back straight and unwavering stare. The sharp glint in his eyes was obvious without glasses hiding them.

“What do you think I’m doing?”

“Were you spying on me all this time?” Victor’s heart twisted. It was likelier that instead of being soulmates, Yuuri frequented his shop to spy on him.

“Why would you think that?” Yuuri smiled wryly. “My sources told me you were named Victor, but I only found out now that you were the same person.”

Shutting his eyes and reopening them, Victor centered himself. Personal feelings had no place in this room. He sat back in his chair, waving his gun as he pocketed his own. Almost immediately, the tension in the air was cut in half as his side pulled back. Yuuri’s people did the same as they put their guns away.

“What brings you to New York?”

“What brings anyone here? Profit.” The corners of Yuuri’s mouth hooked up as he spoke.

Narrowing his eyes, Victor’s caution rose at Yuuri’s evasive response. Money definitely could be made in New York, but the intent of the question was to ask what he was doing on Victor’s turf and why he wanted to me. He knew the person in front of him wasn’t simple. After all, Yuuri had disguised himself as an innocent kitten for weeks. And Victor had fallen hook, line, and sinker for it.

“You know what I’m talking about. And why did you insist on meeting?”

“Ah that. First, to apologize. I gave orders not to poach, but there’s always someone who doesn’t listen. Kenta’s been dealt with.” Victor nodded, waiting for Yuuri to continue. Yuuri’s words made sense, but he didn’t lower his guard. It could have been an elaborate ploy to apologize and trap him. And after what was said and done, Yuuri and his men’s presence risked upsetting the balance of power. “Second, I heard the cops intercepted some of your cargo?”

“They did.” Victor was sure it was Yuuri’s doing, but he didn’t want to interrupt.

“They’re getting smarter. Ten days ago, the same thing happened to us.” The amiable smile faded as Yuuri’s expression hardened. “There’s a nezumi on the loose, and I thought it was a good idea that we were on the same page.”

News that the cops raided the yakuza’s shipment made Victor frown. In his experience, the police liked to thoroughly investigate and get all their ducks in a row before acting. And when they did, it would be a targeted, swift strike offering little window for retaliation unless one was prepared. The cargo raids were fishy.

But if someone was speaking to the cops…

“How can I trust what you’re saying?”

“Takeshi.” Yuuri barked. A heavyset man strode forward, heaving a briefcase onto the table and clicked it open to reveal a case full of guns. He pushed the case towards Victor. “A token of our good faith.”

Cocking his head, Victor kept his eyes on Yuuri as Alexei examined the contents. The personable smile had returned on Yuuri’s face. Much like a playful kitten. Except this kitten was dangerous and owned a sharp pair of claws.

“They’re the real thing, avtoritet.”

Rapidly assessing the situation, Victor nodded in agreement as his men put the briefcase away.

The remainder of the time was spent discussing plans and the terms of their cooperation. The cooperation was nothing more than an information exchange and a few empty promises at best. They had little to no information about Yuuri or his men and how much of a threat they posed. It definitely was _not_ because he wanted to spend more time with Yuuri. Besides, if there really was a rat, having more trustworthy eyes would make it easier to catch them.

Victor’s mind was spinning by the end of the night. He was drawn in at a visceral level by the sharp and commanding aura Yuuri emitted. But that same aura worried him. There was not enough space on the mountain for two tigers. Yuuri’s endgame was unclear and the closer they worked with Yuuri’s group, the easier it was to be stabbed in the back.

 

* * *

 

Victor absentmindedly drummed his fingers against the counter as he considered the results of the investigation into the seized cargo. His men had done their due diligence checking with all the parties involved, and it had led nowhere. He also had them look in to the claims Yuuri made about other police raids. There had been a few recently, but that wasn’t enough. Why had Yuuri sought him out? His wasn’t the only group in the area. The Italians and Irish mob were both large players. There was no news of either of them getting in contact with the yakuza, but then again, they had been unable to get news on them in the first place. If not for the face-to-face, Victor would still be ignorant of Yuuri’s identity.

Yuuri was a conundrum. One of those sirins from the Russian folktales he used to hear about. They sang songs foretelling good fortune, but ultimately led to one’s demise. All of Yuuri’s words and actions seemed kosher, but whether they were was another story.

Victor looked up at the chime of someone entering. The smile immediately froze when a familiar dark-haired man entered. Despite the thick-rimmed glasses, seeing Yuuri in the shop dressed sharply and standing tall reminded Victor of the man who had asked to cooperate without batting an eye. Victor discreetly slid his hand over the pistol below the counter as Yuuri neared.

“What are you here for?”

“To bring you this.” A small box was placed on the table. Despite the printed snowflakes on royal blue, the precise and evenly spaced folds alternating between snowflake print and silvery white and dual-colored bow in the middle gave it a decidedly Japanese feel.

“What is it?”

“It’s a Christmas gift.”

“What’s inside?”

“Why don’t you open it and find out?”

Fed up with the evasive answers, Victor raised his gun. Yuuri whipped out his weapon just as quickly, his left hand stabilizing the gun with practiced ease. The rumble of cars speeding by echoed in the frozen silence as they stared at one another.

“Stop playing games, Yuuri. What do you want?” He was unfazed facing the end of the barrel as he glared at Yuuri. “Is Yuuri even your real name?”

“What do you think?”

“Don’t play coy. Tell me what you came for or I’ll shoot.”

“I came to take you up on your offer to see that ballet and – duck!”

Victor barely processed Yuuri’s words when the shop’s windows exploded. A moment later, wood fragments burst in front of his face, flying everywhere. Victor instinctively hid behind the counter as the volley of bullets continued to devastate the shop, but not before he caught sight of Yuuri rolling behind the shelves.

Calming his breathing, Victor steadied himself and appraised the situation. The rhythmic thud and the crunch of breaking glass sounding despite the background noise of traffic meant no one had found out yet. And the rhythm of footsteps suggested that it was all committed by the same person instead of a group. Even if the shooter had a more powerful weapon, one clean shot was all it took. If he could work with Yuuri, it was two against one and they had a decent shot.

Crouching down, Victor moved towards the edge of the counter. It provided good cover, but was also a deathtrap with little space to maneuver. Peeking out, he whipped his pistol out and released two bullets towards the shooter who immediately ducked out of the way. Seizing the opportunity, he dashed towards the cabinets, crouching down beside Yuuri.

Ignoring the contact of their bodies being flush against one another, Victor gestured his intention to engage the shooter while Yuuri stayed put. Yuuri whipped out a hand, capturing his wrist before he could do so. A fiery tinge spread across Victor’s wrist and his pupils widened at the shimmery lines that formed. Yuuri’s incredulous expression mirrored his.

“Stop hiding and come out!” A male’s singsong voice rang out.

Shaking off Yuuri’s hand, Victor hardened his gaze as he glanced in the direction of the cocky shooter. This wasn’t the appropriate time to discuss what had just happened. Quickly firing off a few shots to keep the shooter pinned, he turned back to face Yuuri.

“Why did you stop me?” Victor whispered as quietly as possible.

“We need to cut him off.” Yuuri’s concern was a valid one as the shooter was still the one closest to the entrance. “I’ll circle around while you find someplace to hide. We’ll lure him over to the counter.”

Shaking his head, Victor glanced out to take a peek in the direction of the shooter. “I’ll do the circling. I’m more familiar with the shop.”

“Fine. I’ll cover you.”

Nodding his thanks, Victor crept towards the end of the aisle, waiting for the gunshots to sound before dashing for the other end. The suppressor was unable to mute the exchange between the assailant and Yuuri as sounds of rapid fire rang out. Ducking behind a shelf, he peeked between the gaps between the assortment of antiques, seeing a darkly dressed person shooting as he moved towards Yuuri’s position. Before he could find a clear shot, a loud curse rang out as the gunman collapsed onto one knee. One of Yuuri’s shots must have found its target.

It wasn’t the time to be awed by Yuuri’s skillful shooting though. The man was still armed and highly dangerous. Quickly shifting his position to find a clear shot, Victor raised his gun and aimed. Three shots burst out as he pulled the trigger in rapid sequence. Two missed, but on the third, the shooter slumped forward and no longer moved.

Straightening, he stood up and walked over to examine the body which was no longer breathing. Just to be safe, he fired off another two shots, watching fresh blood seep out onto the dark wood floor.

“Do you know him?” Yuuri walked out, cursorily examining the corpse before shaking his head. “Pity.” Victor nudged the body with his foot. Even though the man was dead, he would get his men to investigate who and where the gunman came from. It was more likely for him to be involved with Victor’s men than Yuuri’s given his Slavic features and coloring.

“Mind if I make a call?” The gun was gone from Yuuri’s hand and in it was a cellphone.

“Da. Go ahead.” He needed to do the same thing. Grabbing a burner phone from behind the counter, Victor rapidly punched out a string of digits as he strolled further into the shop to do a cursory examination of the damage.

“Boss?”

“What are your men doing, Georgi?!” Victor barked at his second-in-command. He was in no mood to hear excuses. What mattered were results. Men should have been on the lookout for suspicious elements, but an enemy shooter had gotten to the middle of their territory – close enough to attack _him_ – without tripping any alarms. He would do a thorough cleaning of ranks after this incident was resolved. There was no need keeping people who had grown lazy and overconfident.

“I –”

“Nevermind that.” The strains of Japanese in the background made him change his mind. There would be an accounting later. “Bring a team to the shop. I want it clean and fixed by next week.” He hung up abruptly, feeling the urge to drink as he considered everything that had occurred in the last few weeks. Missing cargo, two-faced Yuuri, and now this.

Pulling back his sleeve, Victor was filled with mixed emotions as he examined the looped silvery black lines adorning his left wrist. The soulmate marking hadn’t really registered in his mind during the shooting, but there it was. Proof that his instincts weren’t wrong and Yuuri was his fated half. After all the ups and downs lately, it was difficult to be excited about it. Doubt swirled in his mind as he considered the ambiguous relationship between them.

He pulled down his sleeve, pasting an amicable smile as Yuuri walked towards him. “Want a drink?”

“Sure.”

The entire fiasco of them pointing guns at one another was forgotten as he led Yuuri to the backroom. There wasn’t anything important in the store; just the basics: some cash, weapons, clothes, and a medical kit.

“Take a seat.” Victor gestured to the table and chairs. “Is vodka alright?”

“Sounds good.”

Pouring a generous amount into two lowball glasses, he turned around and headed back to Yuuri who had remained standing. Warmth brushed across Victor’s skin as their fingers brushed when Yuuri accepted the glass. “Thank you.”

“Why’d you save me?” Yuuri’s warning hadn’t done much – the shot had missed and he had found cover right afterwards – but anyone else might have found an opportunity to stab him in the back had such an opportune situation arisen. And it would have been impossible to spot the shooter or gun given the angle of the shot. Instead, Yuuri had risked his life to cooperate and corner the shooter.

“Why wouldn’t I?” Victor didn’t resist when Yuuri reached out to grab his left hand. “Aren’t you one of mine?” There was a flirtatious smile as his fingers skimmed Victor’s wrist. Right over the soulmate mark.

“Oh? But I thought you were one of mine?” Taking the cue from Yuuri, the business smile morphed into a grin as he tugged the wayward hand and pulled Yuuri. Any previous reservations evaporated when the marking showed. There was no agonizing over whether to taint Yuuri since he was already a prominent figure in the underworld. And this kitten with claws excited him more than the innocent one he knew previously. Even if there would be opposition from both sides and other hurdles to overcome, Victor was never going to let Yuuri go.

“But what if I want you to be mine?” Limpid dark eyes stared at him as a finger traced his lips, running down to his throat. Swallowing heavily, Victor grabbed Yuuri’s hand and brought it to his mouth. His gaze was steady as he stared at his other half.

“Only if you promise to be mine.”

“Deal.”


End file.
